XL2000: "SYLK: File Format is not Valid" Error Opening File

ID: Q215591

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel 2000

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to open a file, the following error message appears:

SYLK: File format is not valid

CAUSE

This problem occurs when you open a text file and the first two characters of the file are the letters ID (uppercase). For example, the text file may contain the following text:


   ID, STATUS
   123, open
   456, closed

Note: This problem does not occur if the first two characters are lowercase (id).

WORKAROUND

To open your text file in Excel, first open the file in a text editor and append an apostrophe to the beginning of the first line of text.

How to Append an Apostrophe

To add an apostrophe to the beginning of the first line of text in your file, follow these steps:

On the Start menu, click Run, and type Notepad.

In Notepad, open the text file. Press the keys CTRL+Home to go to the first character in the first line of text. Press the apostrophe key on your keyboard (').

On the File menu, click Save. Quit Notepad.

You can now open the file in Excel.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

Additional query words: XL2000

Keywords : kberrmsg xlloadsave
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbbug